Step up and be the miracle
"... And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" — that is, "Be opened!" — And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly..." — Mark 7:31-37
The Gospels always tell us something about God. This week is no different.
We hear the story of Jesus healing a man who was deaf and mute. His community brought him to Jesus, hoping their friend could be healed. Not only was the man astonished by this healing, but those around him were amazed, as well.
This man, Jesus, had the power to heal. No wonder the people went exclaiming what they had seen despite being told to stay quiet. How could anyone stay quiet after witnessing this healing? God heals.
But, as always, we are invited to look deeper into the story and incorporate the message into our own lives. Jesus heals in the Gospels, but does he heal today? Are we like the community members who bring others to Jesus for healing? How do we respond when we see others in need?
And, what about our heart? Is it open to the other senses so that it can respond appropriately to what we see, hear and say?
As disciples, we are called to love one another.
How do we do this? We listen with an open heart to the experiences of others without placing our own biases on the conversation. We speak out against wrongs we see by writing to our elected officials and by voting for those we hope will make a difference. We "see" those who are in need and offer what we can — donating to and volunteering for organizations such as Saint Vincent de Paul Society , the Tucson Diaper Bank and the Community Food Bank , to name a few.
Just like the immediacy of healing Jesus performed, our actions, too, can bring about change. Having a heart that is open to seeing the needs of our community, being willing to speak out about those needs, and acting upon what we see and hear, we can make a difference in the lives of others. This, too, can be a miracle.
So, do we stay quiet when we witness a miracle, or do we shout from the rooftops and take action?
